Needle threading appliance



C. A. PINKHAM ET AL NEEDLE THREADING APPLIANCE Filed March 12, 1948.

INVENTOR-5 Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKCE NEEDLE. THREADING APPLIANCE Application March 12, 1948, Serialv No. 14,446

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to needle threading appliances and more particularly to an approved appliance for quickly and easily inserting a thread through the eye of a needle. The present application is in part a continuation of our copending application Serial No. 790,578, filed December 9, 1947, for Threading device.

The appliance shown, described and claimed in the aforementioned co-pending application includes a member formed with a passage to receive a needle, which passage is intersected by a thread receiving slot. A thread engaging hook or the like is biased to move across the needle passage and into the thread slot with a cam or anvil normally obstructing such movement of the hook. The needle is inserted eyev end first into the slot to engage the cam and displace it out of its hook obstructing position. The cam is displaced by manually grasping the needle and pressing it into the slot. Alignment means are shown for aligning the axis of the eye with the threading hook so that, as the cam or anvil is displaced, the hook passes through the needleeye and enters the thread slot. A thread is then disposed in the slot, and the hook, in its return movement draws the thread through the needle eye. When the needle is withdrawn, a loop of; thread is pulled out through the passage, and suitable shears are provided for cutting off the desired length of thread.

The present invention relates to a threading appliance of the same type in so far as the thread engaging action is concerned, but in which displacement of the anvil or cam is efiected by a separately operable lever, plunger or the like, and no needle alignment means are required. This lever or plunger has associated therewith, a pivotally connected bar connected to the anvil and having abutment means normally engaging the threading hook carrier to hold the latter in the retracted position.

With the device of the present invention, the needle is inserted eye end first into its passage and then the plunger or button is pressed downwardly to displace the anvil. The eye end of the needle rests on the upper surface of the anvil and follows the downward movement thereof under the influence of gravity. The eye end of the needle, as is well known, is flattened into an ellipsoidal ,form. The threading hook is a thin steel stamping of such size as to easily pass through the needle eye. Should the axis of the needle eye be non-parallel to the plane of movement of the threading hook, the latter will strike the flattened ellipsoidal needle surfaceon one side or the other of the eye and turn the needle about its own axis to align the needle eye with the threading hook. Thus, separate eye orienting or aligning means are not necessary, but may be used if desired. 3

It is therefore among the objects of the present invention to provide a threading appliance which is easily and simply manipulated to thread the eye oi a needle or the like.

Another object is to provide such anappliance including a cam or anvil receiving the eye end of a needle and which is associated with means normally holding a thread engaging hook in' a retracted position.

A further object is to provide a threading appliance having its operating elements normally biased to an inoperative position and including a manual operating member for moving the cooperating elements to the operative position.

These and other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanyin drawing. a

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of a threading appliance according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an inside elevation view of the device, with the front cover removed, and showing in dotted lines the relative position of the movable elements thereof.

Fig. 3 is a plan view in section along line 3-3 of Fig. 2..

Fig. 4 is an end elevation. view in section, substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a. rear elevation view of a portion of the threading device, showing the shears arrangement.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation in. section, along line 66 of Fig. 1.,

Referring to the drawings, the threading device comprises a body or casing l0, provided with a peripheralv enclosing flange H, and. to which is secured a congruent front cover plate 20. Cover plate 29 is secured to casing it by a suitable fastening device comprising a stud 2t having a shoulder or collar 22 and an extension 25 inserted through an aperture 24 in plate 20. The operating head 25. is cemented, press-fitted or otherwise secured to extension 23. Plate 20 is easily and quickly secured to casing it by engaging stud 2i in a threaded hole 26 in the back wall l2 of the casing and threading the stud into hole 26 through rotation of head 25.

Casing 0 is provided withan inwardly extending shoulder or thickened portion 13 having a needle receiving passage 54 therein provided with a flared opening it. In substantial alignment with shoulder 13, a pair of guide rails I7, 18 are formed integrally with wall I2 of casing l and act to guide a plunger or slide 38 having an anvil head 35. Plunger is reciprocable vertically between guides ll, l6 and above anvil is formed with a suitable transverse passage 3| for a purpose to be described. Anvil 35 has a transversely extending groove or slot 36 intersected by a slot or recess 3'1 substantially perpendicular thereto. The upper end of plunger 38 has a passage 32 in continuation of, needle passage l4.

An L-shaped member 46 is pivotally mounted adjacent guide bar l8 and has a needle engage ing hook 45 extending toward passage 3! of plunger 3!). Hook 45 is a stamping from thin sheet steel or other metal. 'An car 42 near the pivot 43 of member has a relatively light tension spring 44 secured thereto, and the other end of spring 44 is engaged with a pin 45 on wall [2. Spring 44 tends of swing member 40 in a counter-clockwise direction to project hook 45 across the axis of needle passage [4. Such pro- Jection is normally restrained by means described hereinafter.

The back wall l2 of casing H3, and cover plate 20, are formed with aligned slots 5! and 52 which cooperate to form a needle receiving passage or slot 59. Passage extends inwardly and downwardly at an angle to intersect the axes of needle passage l4 and plunger 30 so that, in the downward or retracted position of anvil 35, a thread in slot 5| can be moved into alignment with the axes. To grip a thread placed in slot 55, a suitable arrangement is provided comprising a wire 53 secured at its ends to pins 5t and 55 on the outer surface of plate 28 and having a bight extending around a pin 51 on plage 25. Intermediate the outer pins 54, 55 and th inner pin 57, substantially parallel portions of wire 53 are sprung toward each other so that, as a thread is drawn into slot 50, it slides between the two arms of wire 53 and is held in the inner end of the slot- 7 A bar extends transversely of the lower portion of casing) and has one end pivoted to wall l2 as at BE. A lost motion pivotal connection 52 is provided between an intermediate portion of the bar and the reduced lower end 63 of plunger 30. Near the free end of bar Gil, a plunger 65 has its lower end pivotally connected to bar 63, as at B4, and this plunger extends outwardly through a substantially horizontal portion of flange l I, with its outer end having an operating head or button 61. A relatively strong tension spring 68 extends between the extreme outer end of bar 60 and pin H formed on wall l2.

Spring 68 normally biases bar Ell to the position shown in Fig. 2 wherein plunger 30 and anvil 35 are in their upper or inoperative position. In this position, an abutment, such as a pin '52 extending substantially perpendicular to bar 6i engages the ear 42 of member 45 to hold this member and hook 45 in the retracted position.

To operate the device, a needle is inserted eye end first into passage !4 until its eye end engages anvil 35. Slot 3! receives the eye end of the needle. Button 61 is depressed to draw plunger 30 and anvil 35 downwardly, with the needle following the downward movement bygravity. As abutment 12 moves downwardly, spring 45 swings member 40 counter-clockwise. Hook 45 passes through the eye needle and into the thread slot 50. A thread is then laid in slot 50, being held in the lower end of the slot by wire 53. When buts ton 61 is released, spring 68 pulls bar Bl! upwardly. Abutment 12 engages member 40, swinging it clockwise. This withdraws hook 45 through the eye of the needle, carrying a loop of the thread with it. At the same time, upward movement of anvil 35 pushes the needle upwardly so that it may be withdrawn from passage 14, having a loop of thread drawn through its eye. It should be noted that spring 58 is considerably stronger than spring 44, so that the elements are normally held in the position shown in Fig, 2.

Suitable means are provided for cutting off the thread at the desired length. These means comprise a shears generally indicated at Bil and including a fixed cutting bar Bl mounted on the rear of casing It to extend along slot 50. A second cutting member 82 is pivoted at 83 and its cutting portion 84 is normally held away from bar Si by suitable means. This means comprises an extension 85 on portion 3d having a finger 8"! projecting inwardly through the slot 88 in wall l2. A spring 89 is engaged with finger 8'! and with a pin 9| to hold shears 88 open. The shears is operated by pressing the extended portion 92 of member 82 in the usual manner of operating scissors.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles thereof, it will be understood that the invention maybe otherwise embodied without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element movable across the passage and into the slot to have a thread en gaged therewith; first means biasing said element toward the slot; an anvil aligned with the passage and reciprocable in alignment therewith into and out of obstructing relation to the path of movement of said engaging element; second means biasing said anvil to its obstructing position; abutment means associated with said anvil and restraining movement of said engaging element under the influence of said first means; and a member operable to move said anvil out of its obstructing position and to retract said abutment;

whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first means, upon retraction of said abutment means moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second meansto eject the device and said abutment means forcing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retracting, drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter.

2. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element movable across the passage and into the slot to have a thread engaged therewith; first means biasing said element toward the slot; an anvil aligned with the passage and reciprocable in alignment therewith into and out of obstructing relation to the path of movement of said engaging element; second means biasing said anvil to its obstructing posi-- tion; abutment means associated with said anvil and restraining moveme t' of said engaging element under the influence of said first means; and a member operable to 'move said anvil out of its obstructing position and to retract said abutment; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first means, upon retraction of said abutment means moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second means to eject the device and said abutment means forcing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retracting, drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter; the biasing effect of said second means being stronger than that of said first means.

3. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element movable across the passage and into the slot to have a thread engaged therewith; first means biasing said element toward the slot; an anvil aligned with the passage and reciprocable in alignment therewith into and out of obstructing relation to the path of movement of said engaging element; the surface of said anvil being shaped to receive the eye end of the device; second means biasing said anvil to its obstructing position; abutment means associated with said anvil and restraining movement of said engaging element under the infiuence of said first means; and a member operable to move said anvil out of its obstructing position and to retract said abutment; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first means, upon retraction of said abutment means moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second means to eject the device and said abutment means forcing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retractin drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter.

4. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across the passage and into the slot to have a thread engaged therewith; first spring means biasing said element toward the slot; an anvil aligned with the passage and reciprocable in alignment therewith into and out of obstructing relation to the path of movement of said engaging element; second spring means biasing said anvil to its obstructing position; abutment means associated with said anvil and restraining movement of said engaging element under the influence of said first spring means; and a member operable to move said anvil out of its obstructing position and to retract said abutment; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first spring means, upon retraction of said abutment means, moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second spring means to eject the device said abutment means forcing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retracting, drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter.

5. A threading appliance comprising, in com bination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across the passage and into the slot to have a thread engaged therewith; first spring means biasing said element toward the: slot; a slide reciprocable in alignment with the passage and having an anvil adjacent the inner end of the passage, said anvil normally obstructing the movement of said element toward the slot; a lever pivotally connected to said member and. to the opposite end of said slide; second spring means engaged with said lever to bias. said. anvil to its obstructing position; abutment means associated with said lever and restraining movement or said engaging element under the influence of said first spring means; a member operable to swing said lever to retract said anvil and said abutment means; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first spring means, upon retraction of said abutment means, moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second spring means to eject the device, and said abutment means forcing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retracting, drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter.

6. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across the passage and into the slot to hav a thread engaged therewith; first spring means biasing said element toward the slot; a slide reciprocable in alignment with the passage and having an anvil adjacent the inner end of the passage, said anvil normally obstructing the movement of said element toward the slot; a lever pivotally connected to said member and to the opposite end of said slide; second spring means engaged with said lever to bias said anvil to its obstructing position; abutment means associated with said lever and restraining movement of said engaging element under the influence of said first spring means; a member operable to swing said lever to retract said anvil and said abutment means; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first spring means, upon retraction of said abutment means, moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewtih; said anvil, upon release of said member, being biased by said second spring means to eject the device, and said abutment means forc- 7 ing said engaging element to its retracted position; said engaging element, in retracting, drawing a loop of thread through the eye of the device to thread the latter; the biasing effect of said second spring means being stronger than that of said first spring means.

7. A threading appliance comprising, in combination, a member formed with a passage to receive a device having an eye to be threaded and a thread receiving slot intersecting the passage; a thread engaging element pivotally mounted in said member for swinging movement across the passage and into the slot to have a thread engaged therewith; first spring means biasing said element toward the slot; a slide reciprocable in alignment with the passage and having an anvil adjacent the inner end of the passage, said anvil normally obstructing the movement of said element toward the slot; a lever pivotally connected at one end to said member and intermediate its ends to the opposite end of said slide; second spring means engaged with the other end of said lever to bias said anvil to its obstructing position; an abutment on said lever and restraining movement of said engaging element under the influence of said first spring means; a plunger connected to said lever to swing the latter to retract said anvil and said abutment means; whereby a device inserted into the passage to engage the anvil will have its eye moved into the path of movement of said engaging element; said first spring means, upon retraction of said abutment, moving said engaging element through the eye of the device and into the slot to have a thread laid in the slot and engaged therewith; said anvil, upon release of said plunger, being biased by said second spring means to eject the device and said abutment forcing said engaging element to its retracted position.

CLARENCE A. PINKHAM.

BARTI-IOLOMEW HOLOHAN.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany May 30, 1933 Number 

